Conveyer



April 19, 1949.

J. W. MEGARG EE CONVEYER Filed Dec. 1-3, 1944 I IINVENTOR 7055 144 Fem fffa/wazz W ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVEYER Joseph Wilfrid Megargee, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 13, 1944, Serial No. 567,927

8 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyors and more particularly to continuously operable conveyors wherein material is conveyed through a conduit from a source of use by a conveyor.

It is usual in apparatus of the type to which this invention relates to feed material to a helical feed screw which revolves within a conduit, there being sufficient clearance between the outer peripheral surface of the feed screw blade and the inner surface of the conduit to permit the screw conveyor to revolve within the conduit. Occasionally, hard piecesof oversized material or foreign substance are fed to the conveyor, which pieces are too large to be readily passed through the conduit by the screw. Such material becomes jammed between the blade of the screw conveyor and the inner wall of the conduit and causes the conveyor to become inoperative.

The present invention provides a guard device which prevents pieces of substance of a size too large to be readily passed through the conveyor conduit from entering said conduit. The invention also provides a guard device which feeds material toward and into the conveyor and removes oversizedsubstance from the path of material being fed to the conveyor.

The invention will be understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the device of the present invention used in conjunction with a conveyor for conveying coal to a furnace;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but of another embodiment of the invention.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the views.

Referring to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the reference character In designates a conduit through which coal II is fed from a bin IE to a furnace |3. Asshown, the conduit I0 is mounted adjacent its outlet end 14 on a I9 between the outer diameter of the blad and I the inner wall 2|] of the conduit so that the conveyor I6 will revolve in the conduit. Blade l8 provides a helical path 2| through the conduit l0 and is so pitched that when it is revolved in one prevented from entering the conduit.

direction the material will be conveyed from the inlet end I5 toward the outlet end I4. The screw conveyor I6 projects beyond the inlet end l5 of the conduit. Conveyor I6 is revolved by any desirable means. For example, a motor M positioned adjacent th outlet end M of the conduit Ill may be used to revolve the conveyor shaft [1 through suitable driving means such as gears, pulleys or other means not shown.

The guard device of the present invention encloses the end of the conveyor I6 which projects beyond the inlet end of the conduit. In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3, the guard comprises an annular member 22 adapted to slidably bear on the outer surface of the conduit l0. Longitudinally extending strips 23 are secured to the member 22 in spaced relationship circumferentially of said member and project axially from the member 22 a distance .greater than th distance which the screw conveyor |B projects beyond the inlet end of the conduit Ill. The strips 23 are curved at 24 so that the ends 25 thereof may be fixedly mounted in the head 21 of a fastening member 26 which head, as shown, is of lesser diameter than the annular member 22. The fastening member 26 has a screw-threaded shank 28 projecting from the head 2'! toward the member 22. The screwthreads on the shank 2B are adapted to engage screw-threads in the projecting end of the shaft IT. A lock nut .29 will lock the shank in relationship to the shaft so that the shank revolves with said shaft. Circumferentially extending strips 30 and 3| are secured to the outer side of the longitudinally extending strips 23. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the strips 30 and 3| are spiralled on the longitudinally extending strips 23 in spaced relationship so that the adjacent convolutions of the strip 30 and strip 3| are substantially parallel and are spaced from one an-- other to form interstices 32 between adjacent convolutions of the strips 30 and 3| and adjacent strips 23. Strips 30 and 3| are secured in position on the strips 23 in any desired manner.

The strips 30 and 3| and strips 23 are so spaced in relationship to each other that the interstices 32 are of such a dimension as to permit only pieces of substance of a size which may readily be conveyed through the conduit ||l from being fed into the conduit by the projecting end of the screw conveyor |6. Oversize pieces of material or foreign substance, that is, pieces too large to be passed through the conduit H], are, therefore, The spiralled strips 30 and 3| are so pitched that when the conveyor shaft is revolved to feed material toward the outlet end of the conduit ID, the strips 30 and 3|, since they are on the outer side of the longitudinal strips 23, will agitate the coal or other material I I, move it toward the inlet end of the conduit and into contact With the projecting end of the screw conveyor through the interstices. The guard device of the present invention is revolubly held in position on the housing it] by a securing member 33 fastened to the housing by set screws 34. Member 33 has a portion 35 spaced from the outer periphery of the conduit and which slidably engages the outer surface of the annular member 22, said portion 35 having a projecting rim 36 to provide a groove in which the member 22 revolves but is held against axial movement.

In operation, the guard of the present invention is positioned on the inlet end [5 of the conduit I6 by securing the shank 28 in the shaft I! of the conveyor by means of the screw-threads thereon and the lock nut 29. The member 33 is then fastened in position by the set screws 34. When the screw conveyor I6 is revolved in a direction to feed material from the inlet end I5 thereof toward the outlet end M, such material as it passes through the interstices 32 is conveyed into and through the spiral path formed in conduit ID by the blade l8 of the screw conveyor. Since the strips 30 and 3i and strips 23 are so spaced in relationship to each other that the interstices 32 are of a dimension to permit only pieces of substance of a size which may readily be conveyed through the helical path 2! in the conduit to enter said conduit, clogging or jamming of the conduit by oversized material or oversized foreign substance is prevented. The strips 23, 30 and Si serve to agitate the material surrounding the guard, as shown in Fig. 1, the spiralled strips 39 and 3| causing the material to be moved toward the inlet end l5 of the conduit, and into engagement with the projecting end of the screw conveyor through the interstices 32. Any substance too large to pass through the interstices is moved by the spiralled strips 30 and 3i longitudinally of and away from the guard thereby preventin clogging or blocking of the guard by oversized pieces. As shown, the oversized substance Would be moved toward the conduit It on the outside of the guard.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the guard comprises longitudinally extending strips 38 secured at one end to an annular member 39 in spaced relationship circumferentially of the member 39 which strips project beyond the end of the conduit a distance greater than the distance which the screw conveyor l6 projects beyond the inlet end of the conduit Ill. The opposite ends of the strips 38 are secured to a circular plate 40 of substantially the same diameter as the member 39. The plate 40 has a hub 4| secured to a journal 42 on the shaft I! by screws 43 so that the plate 40 revolves with the shaft I! and, in turn, through the strips 33, causes the member 39 to rotate. The plate 40 has an axle 44 mounted in a bearing 45 in an upright stand 46. Circumferential strips or bands 4'! are secured to the outer side of the strips 38 and are axially spaced from one another. The strips 38 and the strips 4'! are so spaced in relationship to each other as to form substantially rectangular shaped interstices 49 through which material must pass to reach the conveyor screw [6. The interstices 49 are of such size as to permit only pieces to pass therethrough of a dimension which may be readily conveyed through the helical path 2l' in the conduit l0 and prevent pieces too large to be conveyed through the helical path from entering the conduit. Axial movement of the guard is prevented by screws 50 in the member 39 which screws project into and move in a circular path in a guideway 5| in a sleeve 52. The sleeve 52 is secured against rotation on the conduit H! by set screws 53.

In operation, the guard of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 revolves with the shaft ll of the conveyor 16, and as in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 to 3, prevents pieces of material or foreign substance too large to be conveyed through the conduit ID from entering the helical path in the conduit formed by the screw conveyor l6.

While the invention has been disclosed as used in the conveyance of coal, it will be understood that the present invention is capable of use in the conveyance of material other than coal.

Since changes may be effected in the forms of the invention selected for disclosure without departin from the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Conveying apparatus comprising a conduit, a screw conveyor revoluble in the conduit for conveying material therethrough, said conveyor extending outwardly of the conduit beyond the inlet end thereof, and a guard asociated with the conduit at the inlet end thereof, the guard being constructed and arranged to nclose said inlet end and surround the portion of the conveyor extending therebeyond, said guard only having openings therethrough of a size no greater than the size of the largest material which can be conveyed through the conduit, and means connecting the guard and the projecting end of the screw conveyor so that said guard is revolved by the conveyor.

2. Conveying apparatus comprising a conduit having an inlet end, a screw conveyor revoluble in the conduit for conveying material therethrough, a guard projecting outwardly from the inlet end of the conduit, the guard being constructed and arranged to enclose said inlet end, said guard only having openings therethrough of a size no greater than the size of the largest material which can be conveyed through the conduit, means connecting the guard to the screw conveyor so that the guard is revolved by the conveyor, and means on the outer surface of the guard forming helical projections on said outer surface, the projections being pitched so that when the conveyor is revolved to feed material through the conduit material engaging said projections is caused to move longitudinally of the guard.

3. A guard for conveying apparatus having a conduit with a revoluble screw conveyor therein for conveying material therethrough, which con- "veyor projects beyond the inlet end of the conduit, the guard being constructed and arranged to enclose said inlet end and surround the portion of the conveyor extending therebeyond, said guard only having openings therethrough of a size no greater than the size of the largest material which can be conveyed through the conduit, connecting means associated with the guard and adapted to connect the guard with said projecting end of the screw conveyor so that the guard is revolved by the conveyor, and means on the outer surface of the guard forming helical projections on said outer surface of the guard, said projections being pitched so that when the conveyor is revolved to feed material through the conduit, material engaging said projections is caused to move longitudinally of the guard.

4. A guard for conveying apparatus having a conduit with a revoluble screw conveyor therein for conveying material therethrough, which conveyor projects beyond the inlet end of the conduit, the guard being constructed and arranged to enclose said inlet end and surround the portion of the conveyor extending therebeyond, said guard comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending strips annularly spaced from one another to form an enclosure for said projecting portion of said conveyor, spaced strips extending circumferentially of said enclosure and mounted on the longitudinally extending strips, said longitudinally extending strips being so spaced from each other and said circumferentially extending strips being so spaced. from one another as to' form openings therebetween of a size no greater than the size of the largest material which can be conveyed through the conduit so that only material of a size which can be conveyed in the conduit can pass through the openings and into the enclosure, and means for securing said guard to the revoluble screw conveyor to revolve therewith.

5. A guard for conveying apparatus having a conduit with a revoluble screw conveyor therein for conveying material therethrough, which conveyor projects beyond the inlet end of the conduit, the guard being constructed and arranged to enclose said inlet end and surround the portion of the conveyor extending therebeyond, said guard comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending strips annularly spaced from one another to form an enclosure for said projecting portion of the conveyor, strips extending circumferentially and helically of said enclosure and mounted on the longitudinally extending strips outwardly of said enclosure, said longitudinally extending strips being so spaced from each other and said circumferentially extending strips being so spaced from one another as to form openings therebetween of a size no greater than the size of the largest material which can be conveyed through the conduit so that only material of a size which can be conveyed in the conduit can pass through the openings and into the enclosure, and means for securing said guard to the revoluble screw conveyor to revolve therewith.

6. A guard for conveying apparatus having a conduit with a revoluble screw conveyor therein for conveying material therethrough, which conveyor projects beyond the inlet end of the conduit, said guard comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending strips annularly spaced from one another to form an enclosure for said projecting portion of the conveyor screw, spaced strips extending circumferentially of said enclosure and mounted on the longitudinally extending strips, said longitudinally extending strips being so spaced from each other and said circumferentially extending strips being so spaced from one another as to form openings therebetween of a size no greater than the size of the largest material which can be conveyed through the conduit, end members adjacent the opposite ends of said longitudinally extending strips to which said strips are secured, the members being constructed to prevent the passage of said material therethrough into said enclosure, one end member revolubly engaging said conduit, and means for securing the end member opposite said one memher to said conveyor screw to revolve therewith.

7. A guard for conveying apparatus having a conduit with a revoluble screw conveyor therein for conveying material therethrough, which conveyor projects beyond the inlet end of the conduit, said guard comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending strip annularly spaced from one another to form an enclosure for said projectin-g portion of the conveyor screw, spaced strips extending circumierentially of said enclosure and mounted on the longitudinally extending strips, said longitudinally extending strips being so spaced from each other and said circumferentially extending strips being so spaced from one another as to form openings there- 'between of a size no greater than the size of the largest material which can be conveyed through the conduit, annular end members adjacent the opposite ends of said longitudinally extending strips to which said strips are secured, the members being constructed to prevent the passage of said material therethrough into said enclosure, one end member being revolubly associated with said conduit and of a diameter greater than the diameter of the conduit and the opposite end member being of a lesser diameter than said one end member, and means for securing the end member opposite said one member to said conveyor screw to revolve therewith.

8. A guard for conveying apparatus having a conduit with a revoluble screw conveyor therein for conveying material therethnough, which conveyor projects beyond the inlet end of the conduit, said guard comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending strips annularly spaced from one another to form an enclosure for said projecting portion of the conveyor screw, annular strips spaced from each other and extending circumferentially of said enclosure and mounted on the longitudinally extending strips, said longitudinally extending strips being so spaced from each other and said circumferentially extending strips being so spaced from one another as to form rectangular-shaped openings the-rebetween of a size no greater than the size of the largest material which can be conveyed through the conduit, annular end members of substantially the same diameter disposed adjacent the opposite ends of said longitudinally extending strips to which said strips are secured, the members being constructed to prevent the passage of said material therethrough into said enclosure, one end member revolubly engaging said conduit and means for securing the end member opposite said one member to said conveyor screw to revolve therewith.

JOSEPH WILFRID MEGARGEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 364,571 Bowers June 7, 1887 372,956 Bowers Nov. 8, 1887 682,024 Bradley Sept, 3, 1901 1,388,650 Josephs Aug. 23, 1921 1,401,994 Lockley Jan. 3, 1922 1,683,010 Anderson Sept. 4, 1928 1,966,325 Welch July 10, 1934 2,017,296 Smith Oct. 15, 1935 2,223,894 Love Dec. 3, 1940 2,361,404 Kalix Oct. 31, 1944 2,389,483 Bobrowski et al. Nov. 20, 1945 

